Hey you, where you going on holiday this summer? Kayaking in Andes, golfing in Russia or sunbathing in Thailand? Is this going to result in a washout drinking spree, a fall-in-love with local girl heartache story or a thief stole my purse anecdote?

How many times do people utter “where shall we go this year”? Is it to be hot or cold, adventure or boring, sun, sex, sand or shopping? A bit of one and a bit of another might be good, or two of one and three of another might be even better, but not sand and no shopping although I might need some new shoes! Mum wants shopping, dad wants golf and all wee bairns want something that parents do not – help!

A holiday is not an easy task to have. In actual fact it is more probable that actual organizing and dreams before hand are far more fun than holiday eventually turns out to be. If by chance two like minded people plan and go on a holiday then chances are that it will be a good one. But getting two like minded people together is quite impossible these days, so most holidays thus end in disaster.

In days gone by……people used to be satisfied with annual trip to Blackpool (for those in Scotland to Portobello: always take a wooly jumper and mitts). There was no need to disguise “home away from home” in these sea-side beach towns, it was home. Nothing was different, weather was constantly miserable, food fully fat and glutinous with no health aspect involved and people whose paths crossed could have been next door neighbor. So those holidays were not quite trails that they have become, since planes started to herd so-called tourists around world.

After local seaside town ……. came search for sex, sweat and coca cola in hot places. Places like Spain, Canary Islands and Malta opened their doors to white and unhealthy Brits by thousands. Then sent them back home after two weeks, out of pocket, looking like beetroots and without them ever having met a local of country. This was probably a wise decision by host countries as nothing is more embarrassing than seeing an extra large family (size not quantity) with remains of a steak dinner, some HP sauce and a milk shake splurged and streaked across embarrassingly and alternate pale white and red colored skins that typically adorn British like a national flag. The similarity between a quite spoken group of Spaniards playing chess in a Tapas Bar and a family of loud, obnoxious, skimpily dressed and drunk Brits is like an ant hill and Mount Everest. There isn’t any.

========================================================== "How Business Travellers Can Stay Safe in Worlds Hotspots"

- by John Williams

© DigiLectual Inc. 2004 http://www.cheaphotelsdeals.com/ ==========================================================

Business travellers increasingly find themselves needing to visit hotspots. Outside Europe and America, many countries need special care. Obviously, Iraq wouldn't be number one choice for a business trip. But other countries, like Saudi Arabia or parts of Far East, require attention too.

Horrific stories of kidnapping and murder scare anyone planning to visit a hotspot. But what are real risks ? And what can you do to minimize those risks ?

Let's make a list, and discuss each in turn.

* Kidnapping * Attack * Robbery * Accident

It's reassuring to discover few travellers fall victim to kidnapping. Kidnap victims are usually local people or resident expatriates. Why ? Probably because travellers are unpredictable. Kidnappers don't know their plans, where they're staying, or even that they're there at all !

Random attacks are much more likely, but risk of these can be much minimized, as we'll discuss later.

Robbery - theft of possessions and money can be common among travellers. But these risks can also be minimized.

The biggest threat to business travellers comes from accidents. The number of road accidents, in particular, far exceeds any deaths in terrorist incidents.

How to minimize risk

Reduce your risk by good preparation. Learn about country and city you plan to visit. A number of websites will help your research. The U.S State Department runs a website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/ The British Foreign Office maintains a website at www.fco.gov.uk - you can find constantly updated general and country specific travel advice.

If you get advice, follow it. Don't ignore it. Keep a low profile where possible, and don't draw unfavourable attention. Is that a good neighbourhood you plan to walk around ? How about that quaint little bar ? Maybe it's local criminal hangout ?